Shropshire and Telford and Wrekin Clinical Commissioning Groups have been running a rather quiet consultation in Shropdoc. The CCGs are suggesting we will have to ring the national 111 number as the first port of call for out of hours medical advice in future. This will bring us into line with national arrangements.
This might sound good on paper but it fails to recognise that we have one of the best out of hours services in the country with Shropdoc. Patients in East Anglia reliant on 111 have had to wait up to 12 hours for a call back from a service described as “clinically unsafe”.
Shropdoc, as a local GP cooperative, is familiar with our territory. Shropdoc knows our patients. It understands the strengths of our local health provision and the pressures it faces.
Today seems to be the last day for comments on out of hours provision in Shropshire. (The CCGs have not published any details so it is hard to be sure.) Us four unitary councillors for Ludlow and Clee have written to the CCGs urging that Shropdoc is retained.
Please do the same. Please do it today.
Please fill out the CCG out of hours survey here.
You can also email your views to tracy.eggby-jones@shropshireccg.nhs.uk, angie.porter@telfordccg.nhs.uk.
Our letter to the Clinical Commissioning Groups
Brigid Stacey, Acting Accountable Officer, Shropshire Clinical Commissioning Group
David Evans, Chief Officer, Telford and Wrekin Clinical Commissioning Group
Dear Brigid and David
We write in support of Shropdoc and to express our very great concern for its future.
Shropdoc has given the people of this county an excellent service for two decades.
We would not wish to move to an arrangement where Shropshire patients must first call 111 and not have the choice of first calling Shropdoc.
Shropdoc, as a local GP cooperative, is familiar with our territory. Shropdoc knows our patients. It understands the strengths of our local health provision and the pressures it faces.
The efficiency and effectiveness of Shropdoc has been demonstrated over many years. It is consistently rated as being among the 25% best out of hours providers in the UK. Shropdoc currently sends 2% of its triaged calls to 999. The 111 service sends up to 13%.
The feedback we receive on Shropdoc as councillors, and through Tracey as a nurse, is overwhelmingly positive.
Our position is that we do not wish the CCGs to tender this service. We know the existing out of hours service works well. We believe the CCGs will serve our county best by retaining the current arrangements for Shropdoc and 111.
Kind regards
Andy Boddington, Councillor Ludlow North
Tracey Huffer, Councillor Ludlow East
Richard Huffer, Councillor Clee
Vivienne Parry, Councillor Ludlow South